Hail to BISD for returning money | Letters | Dec. 10

This letter is to praise our school board and our hard-working school district capital projects team.

Back in early 2006, I supported the huge capital project request to the voters for $45 million – on the condition that monies “left over” be returned to the taxpayers.

We should all be so proud of our new buildings at our high school, our new maintenance building and a whole host of other capital improvements throughout our school district.

Now, with virtually all the accounting completed for these major projects, our school district has approximately $800,000 “left over.” Rather than holding onto this money to be used by the district for other needs (by law restricted to capital needs only), our school board has decided to return this unspent money to us – the taxpayers in the form of what will amount to a reduction in our property taxes in 2011.

Conclusions:

a) Our school district has understood that they are stewards of the taxpayers money and trust.

b) This shows excellent financial management of what was entrusted to our school district to complete major projects timely and under budget.

c) A huge thank you to: Tamela Van Winkle and her exceptional capital projects team; our present school board of Mary Curtis, Tim Kinkead, Mike Spence, John Tawresey, Patty Fielding; past board directors Dave Pollock, Mike Foley, Cheryl Dale, Bruce Weiland, Susan Sivitz; Supt. Faith Chapel and former superintendent Dr. Ken Crawford.

Thomas W. Hemphill

Pleasant Beach

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